Ransom
by I'mcalledZorro
Summary: Jack receives a ransom text while on a dinner date.


_A/N Milkysupernova requested a ransom story where Jack had to pay a ransom to get Mac back, here is what my crazy mind come up with. Thanks to Snowecat for looking it over, you rock! As always I don't own MacGyver or Longhorn Steakhouse (although my aunt used to work for their corporate office!)_

Angus MacGyver was relaxing on the couch with his foot propped up on a pillow doing exactly what the doctor had instructed, taking it easy by catching up on the latest episode of his favorite Discovery channel show. Riley Davis sat in a chair next to the couch with her right arm in a sling intently listening to something on her laptop. The final person of their trio was Wilt Bozer.

"Is anybody else hungry?" He asked. "Cause I'm starving."

Without shifting his focus Mac said, "So, why don't you go make us something? I'm actually starting to get a bit hungry too, and Doc said I need to take my meds with food."

Riley slipped her headphones down around her neck, "Did someone say something about food? I could go for a nice steak about now."

"Bozer just volunteered to make us something." Mac said grinning, eyes still glued to the television.

"Bozer did no such thing. Plus, there is nothing in that kitchen to actually cook besides for a carton of orange juice, some water, and an old sandwich of Jack's. I stupidly sent Mac to the store last time, then we had that mission, and then the other mission, so when we got back a lot of stuff had to be thrown out." Bozer shook his head at the wastefulness of it all.

"Yeah, the milk smelled." Mac stopped, shuttering at the memory. "Well like something you would find in Jack's refrigerator." The three of them laughed at Jack's expense.

Bozer frowned, "Speaking of Jack, where is he? I thought he would be helicoptering over the two of you."

"Date" both Mac and Riley said simultaneously.

"Barring the zombie apocalypse or a ransom demand we are not to interrupt. We told him he needed to go." Mac said his attention back on his television program.

"Plus I think it's a date with my mom." Riley added, grinning. "So there was no way I was going to hold him back from that!" She pulled out her phone. "So what do we want to order?"

"Ever since you mentioned steak and Jack I got a jonesing for one of those steaks from Longhorn Steakhouse, but they don't do any of the delivery services." Bozer pouted.

Riley shot him a dirty look, "Why did you have to say that? Cause their Renegade steak with the Red Rock Shrimp sounds marvelous!" Riley groaned and slumped back in her seat. She then sat up. "Why can't you go get it for us? Mac and I have valid excuses." She motioned at her arm and his leg. "You don't!"

"Leanna's borrowing my car, and Mac refuses to let me drive his Jeep." Bozer frowned at Mac then started smiling.

Mac glanced over at his best friend, "It's never a good sigh to see you grinning like that."

"I have an idea on how to get us Longhorn!"

Riley looked at him skeptically, "And how is that?"

"Well first I need you to check to see where Jack is. He likes to take dates out to eat at Longhorn." Bozer explained.

"But he won't bring us food." Mac stated.

"He will if it is sent as a ransom demand, and you're the kidnap victim." Bozer stated.

Riley nodded, "It could work." Her eyes lit up, "and we could get some of that delicious bread they have." She pulled her laptop closer and started typing. "Give me just a second and I'll see if this plan will even be feasible."

"Seriously you guys, do I have to be the lone voice of reason?" Mac said as his show went to commercial.

"Jack was the one who left the loop-hole there; we're just taking advantage of it." Bozer stated.

Without looking up from her monitor Riley chimed in "You know he would do it to us." Mac nodded; she wasn't wrong. "Plus we'll get him to get that caramel apple goldrush that we know you love. According to his phone's GPS, Jack Dalton is at the closest Longhorn location to us!"

Bozer grinned, "You in Mac?"

Jack was enjoying his date with Diane; his phone had been blissfully quiet, nobody had tried to rob the place, and Diane seemed to be enjoying herself. He had just waved to the waiter to order dessert when his phone buzzed. He had given the kids and Matty strict instructions about contacting him so it must be an emergency. Opening his phone the first thing he saw was an unknown number, then a picture of Mac with his hands tied and duct tape on his mouth. Jack's heart stopped, then started racing. He quickly pulled up the text below the picture read 'If you want to see Boy Wonder again you will bring these orders to a location to be provided upon proof that you have carried out the instructions. Jack's heart started slowing down to a normal pace, and he scrolled up to see the picture again.

"Jack are you ok? You look pale." Diane asked worriedly.

The waiter appeared. "What do you need sir? A dessert menu?"

"I have three to go orders, plus I would like to get the Chocolate Stampede, all to go." He then rattled off the orders in the ransom instructions. Once the waiter left Diane gave him a questioning look. He passed her his phone. She gasped. "Before you get worried….."

"Too late!" She interjected.

Jack chuckled. "Look at the picture of Mac." Jack waited while she did just that. "Does he look scared, upset, mad, or anything like that?"

Diane frowned looking the picture over, "None of that." She leaned in trying to get a better look. "He looks amused?" She looked to Jack confused.

"It's the kid's way of exploiting a loophole I left them. I was to only be contacted if the zombie apocalypse started or a ransom demand came in." Diane gave Jack his phone back and he pocketed it.

Diane frowned at Jack, "Why don't they just come over and join us?"

"Mac messed up his ankle pretty bad, Riley hurt her shoulder and Bozer is without a car."

"What happened to Riley?" Diane's concern for her daughter overriding the other line of questioning. "Was it on a mission? Am I allowed to even ask?"

Jack couldn't help but laugh, "No, it wasn't on a mission. The four of us were playing basketball this morning; Mac jumped to block my shot and came down wrong on his ankle, falling on top of Riley. Bozer and I took them to one of those rapid care places and the doc said that Riley just wrenched her shoulder. It should be fine in a few days, and that Mac would have been better off if he had actually broken his ankle. They put him in a boot, gave him some pain pills, and told him to stay off of it for a few days, and keep the boot on for a few weeks."

Diane leaned back in relief, "They scared me!"

Jack chuckled, "They scared me too, I'll get the food for them, but I ain't telling them that I am!"

Diane grinned, "That's sneaky, I like it."

An hour after Bozer sent the text found Mac still laying on the couch, this time he was tossing a quarter up in the air and calculating how long it would be before it started to fall back to him. Riley had left for the bathroom, and Bozer had disappeared about thirty minutes ago since they hadn't heard back from Jack.

The doorbell rang, Mac waited to see if someone else would answer it. Then the person started knocking. With a sigh Mac heaved himself up off the couch, grabbing the crutches that he promised Jack he would use, he hobbled his way over to the door. He announced to the house at large, "Don't worry, the cripple will go see who's at the door, and possibly get kidnapped again." Opening the door he saw Jack and Diane holding to-go bags from Longhorn Steakhouse.

"Close your mouth there Bud, a fly's likely to fly in." Jack said as he walked past Mac. "Where's the mastermind?"

Riley emerged from the hall, "Did I hear…Mom!"

Diane grinned at her daughter. "Hey baby, we brought ya'll some food."

Riley grinned and gave her mom a one-armed hug, leading her into the living room. "Thanks Mom, we can sit in here and eat."

Jack nudged Mac, "Diane's got your food, go on in there."

Mac nodded and crutched off in that direction.

Bozer came in from the deck, and upon seeing Jack started grinning. He approached the older man, "I knew my plan would work!"

Jack laid a hand on Bozer's shoulder and squeezed just shy of being painful, "Don't do that again. You just about gave me and Diane a heart attack. Next time just text ok?"

Bozer looked contrite, "Sorry, Jack. I should have listened to Mac."

Jack let go of Bozer's shoulder, and patted him hard on the back, "Next time you will, I got you a chopped steak."

Bozer looked aghast for a second, then nodded good naturedly, "It's not the porterhouse I ordered, but I guess I deserve that."

"Indeed you do."

Mac and Riley had already tore into their food and Diane had their stampede open with two forks stuck into the humongous chocolate dessert. "Now don't listen to what they might try to tell you Diane, Bozer and I totally won the basketball game this morning."


End file.
